LUBBOCK, Texas — A grand jury in Lubbock indicted John Johnson, 27, on Tuesday for injury to a child.
According to court records, in January, the employees of a charter school called Children’s Protective Services because a 4-year-old boy was covered on his arms, back, butt, and legs with bruises. When asked about it, the boy said he had been hit with a belt.
Lubbock Police talked to one of the boy’s teachers. She said he was mostly a normal boy, but he would sometimes be disruptive. But, according to the warrant, he was “very hungry” at breakfast and lunch meal times. She said he would “quickly scarf down” a pop tart for breakfast and would usually only have a plain sandwich and drink for lunch.
According to the warrant, the teacher said the boy would try to take lunches from other kids and would even eat food off the floor.
She also said he would “wear the same clothes for several days, if not weeks, in a row.”
She also said the boy sometimes smelled like urine, and “may not be receiving baths at home.”
The teacher felt like the boy was not getting proper care at home. Police checked their own internal records and found a report in 2018 where the boy was missing. He was later found with a neighbor, but the arrest warrant said the boy left without his parents realizing where he went.
The arrest warrant concludes with, “[His] parents are neglecting to properly care for their child.”
Johnson was arrested in late May, and he was able to post bond to get out of jail while the criminal charge against him is still pending.
